I don't know why someone would rent when it seems there are used bikes at thrift stores and Craig's List. On other forums you see the amazing bikes these guys find for $20 bucks. Given that they spent a year looking and maybe needed to fix what ever was broken. Yes, they are posting to brag about their finds, still they are out there.

I'd only rent if I were vacationing. My current rentals are already included in my track membership whether I use them or not. This gives me the opportunity to develop and define who I am and what I need on the boards. I can take time to carefully shop.

That is hilarious!
I have to remember that one.
Many thanks and happy riding.

I was quite offended by calling it that way when I brought my first "kozelec" to mechanic to assemle it. Now I quietly smile - and then nothing...

Your De Rosa - lugged steel ? I guess it is one of the later more sturdy Columbus tubesets ( steel in this size is - ahem - often reffered to spaghetti due to rather sharp decrease in frame stiffness as oposed to smalller frames built with the same tubeset ). My "as much as possible non-spaghetti" 63 cm custom built frame by Veselin Mandaric ( pronounced close to Mandarich ) http://www.mandaric.com/ ( just prior he emigrated from Yugoslavia, first to Canada and shortly thereafter to California ) from Reynolds 531CS is awaiting some final crazy extravagant/over the top colour scheme. His bikes are reknown for VERY bright colurs, there might be a group of riders in the distance, but all you would see would be some bright frame - unmistakably Mandaric. I decided to top even that and will be experimenting with colours on some throwaway frames until satisfied with the outcome prior aplying the final coat(s) of varnish. At the moment, frameset is painted all white - that is the way all Mandaric bikes start their (colourful ) life. No matter what the final colur might be - it gives the sparkling life to the frame many other builders/factories simply lack.

Needless to say, all custom builders will be telling you pretty much the same story - either they build "kozolec"s - or some super small jobs with smaller wheels, "normal" sizing is more exception than the rule, as within all the ordinarily built frames out there one CAN find the exact size required - IF you do not want specific brand and that brand just does not do the size you need. No wonder - you can get a complete bike for less than a custom frame alone, within any given level of quality/price.

Back in the 1986, when I was ordering mine, off the shelf 63 cm frames were pretty much unobtainium. Or used too steep angles, giving center of gravity too far aft, making climbing without standing on the pedals next to impossible - lifting the front wheel in the air - they were only "stretched" versions of their smaller relatives, with all angles unchanged. You can guess what kind of profile was the first ride with my custom - I had smile from ear to ear !

This sample of Mandaric frame is supposedly the oldest frame still known to exist and once I do finish restoring it (albeit with some modernizations), I will post a pic.

Where do you rent bikes. I wish I could do that where I live, here the only bikes available are those tourist bikes...

Here in Oregon, you can rent cruiser bikes downtown or mountain bikes near the bigger mountains. The price however is kinda high at $20/hr or $40 the whole day. You are better off buying a cheap Craigslist bike.

Look for a 29" MTB an slap some slicks on it. 29ers are a better fit for people above 6ft tall.

I just went from 26 inch rims to 27.5 inch rims. Amazingly there is a difference in the momentum you have as well as smoothness. Now I want to try a 29 just to see if the benefits are even greater than the 650 rims.

It seems that things like chain stays have to be beefed up just to stay stiff with the added size?

The only thing I've read is that 29 geometry gets a l little strange in small frame sizes. Some frame builders now bend the seat tube around the circumference of the rear rim to try and center the rider.

I just went from 26 inch rims to 27.5 inch rims. Amazingly there is a difference in the momentum you have as well as smoothness. Now I want to try a 29 just to see if the benefits are even greater than the 650 rims.

It seems that things like chain stays have to be beefed up just to stay stiff with the added size?

The only thing I've read is that 29 geometry gets a l little strange in small frame sizes. Some frame builders now bend the seat tube around the circumference of the rear rim to try and center the rider.

I'm only 5'6" and have 3 29ers right now. The geometry is great and they are wicked fun rides. 26 is for DH bikes now, for me